I was thinking the same thing ("How To Save McDonald's) months ago. I even wrote these very musings down. Here they are in their 99% original form:
Mid-70s menu. SIMPLE. LIMITED. Burgers (ONLY hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Big Macs, Quarter Pounders), keep Filet-o-Fish, fries (original paper packet serving ONLY... you want a large fries, order TWO servings), sodas, shakes, the original deep FRIED pies.
MAYBE McNuggets... MAYBE
Keep McDonald's original 70's breakfast menu: McMuffin, Hotcakes & Sausage, scrambled eggs, hash browns, etc. Keep McGriddles... I LIKE McGriddles.
Keep Happy Meals??? OR ditch Happy Meals and keep McNuggets. 2 customer bases served with those.
NO wraps - Go home, hippie.
NO McRib - You want barbecue, go to a barbecue restaurant
NO chicken sandwiches - Go to Chick-Fil-A
NO salads - Why are you in a burger joint?
NO ice cream - Go to Dairy Queen
NO McMochaFrappaCapuccino - Just black coffee - You want fancy coffee? Go to Starbucks.
I was thinking the same thing ("How To Save McDonald's) months ago. I even wrote these very musings down. Here they are in their 99% original form:
Mid-70s menu. SIMPLE. LIMITED. Burgers (ONLY hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Big Macs, Quarter Pounders), keep Filet-o-Fish, fries (original paper packet serving ONLY... you want a large fries, order TWO servings), sodas, shakes, the original deep FRIED pies.
MAYBE McNuggets... MAYBE
Keep McDonald's original 70's breakfast menu: McMuffin, Hotcakes & Sausage, scrambled eggs, hash browns, etc. Keep McGriddles... I LIKE McGriddles.
Keep Happy Meals??? OR ditch Happy Meals and keep McNuggets. 2 customer bases served with those.
NO wraps - Go home, hippie.
NO McRib - You want barbecue, go to a barbecue restaurant
NO chicken sandwiches - Go to Chick-Fil-A
NO salads - Why are you in a burger joint?
NO ice cream - Go to Dairy Queen
NO McMochaFrappaCapuccino - Just black coffee - You want fancy coffee? Go to Starbucks.
I like the way you think.
The 70s menu is definitely my biggest inspiration. A refocus on the basic could really help quality.